I've got the 100w one and it's pretty nice. A steal for the price I paid ($1000 AUD new). It's high gain "sweet spot" tone lacks mids as I think MC was alluding to so I've found it tricky to work with in a band mix, but still very usable.

Hi, my band "DTS" need a drummer to get gigging, our biggest influences are Tool, Mastodon and Karnivool. Myself (guitarist), our other guitarist, bassist and vocalist spent the past year writing and have almost a dozen originals down, we just need a drummer to get going. We are all like 18/19 year old guys at various uni's just wanting to get out there and gig/have fun by banging some metal to the people.

Hi, my band "DTS" need a drummer to get gigging, our biggest influences are Tool, Mastodon and Karnivool. Myself (guitarist), our other guitarist, bassist and vocalist spent the past year writing and have almost a dozen originals down, we just need a drummer to get going. We are all like 18/19 year old guys at various uni's just wanting to get out there and gig/have fun by banging some metal to the people.

So im not just referring to beginners/inexpensive stuff, just generally gear that is the least liked, least reliable or has the worst tone/features.

The Digitech RP line of multifx was pretty dire. Very stale and digital obviously and was unreliable (i had an old 90s unit and it was pretty expensive). Also the Dean guitars ive used have been very badly made.

Did you play the entire line?

Some of mine:

Boss DS-1 (very unimpressed with my mate's one that I tried, too trebley).

Fender Frontman 212R 100w (I own this and the 15w version and the 15w is half decent, the 100w sucks balls...)

yeah, i had one idea at first (a warmoth VIP with chrome hardware) then switched to a strat with black hardware. the neck and tuners came first so it looks a little confused. i'll end up replacing either the bridge or the tuners eventually, but i can't decide which yet haha

I recommend changing out the tuners

I reckon it would contrast better with the black body and purpleheart headstock.

IMO most guitars can cover most genres, it all depends on your amp's capabilities and the pickups you're using (to a lesser extent). I've heard Telecasters with hot-rodded single coils pull off sick metal tones and I can make my Jackson (which has a jb/jazz pup set) sound like a SSS strat i the neck position using an EQ pedal and my amp's clean abilities.

Some guitars are more versatile than others, but it's really not that important...

I'd suggest any Schecter C1 with original passive Duncans (plus coil taps), that'd probs be up there with the best in terms of versatility.

Oh yeh, and the Washburn X50 Pro is a sweet deal of a guitar. If they sold them here I would so have one.

You could get the tone I think you're looking for with a ridiculous amount of amps, it's not very demanding (at least the idea of it I have in my head). If you want to go all out, and you have the money for it, I'd concur the Mesa Mk IV, or preferably the Mk V if you can.

EDIT: my advice would be to go and try a heap of amps out at a store, maybe figure out what amps those bands you mentioned have used and start there?

I've been using my RGR421 way more than any of my other electrics, mainly because it's the only one of them working solidly atm. My Jackson needs trem maintenance (I'm getting an OFR installed as soon as Ormsby gets a new shipment in tho cos cbf dealing with the lfr on it for the rest of my life...) and my GRG170 needs new tuners and a good set up. Because the RGR421 is fixed bridge and I like to play around with alt tunings with my band, it's become my go-to guitar.

That thing looks awesome, HNGD. I would seriously think about getting a decent Epi LP sometime myself but personally I can't stand Epi LP headstocks, they're one of my most hated parts of any guitar ever. Don't get me wrong though great guitar man, congratz.

My amp (Genz Benz in sig) has a pot for adjusting the attack setting, 3 band active EQ's and another pot called "Tube Contour" which changes the tone from American-esque feel to British (best way I can describe it).

Sure was haha, I had to hold on to it to make sure no one else would buy it. I got there at about 4.45 and had to wait till 6.10 until my dad rocked up with the extra $400. Totally worth it though, I don't think I'll ever sell this guitar.

Haha I'm the guy who was walking around like aimlessly (was waiting for a freind to show up cos she wanted some help finding an amp), walked past you a few times when I was checking out the halfstacks up the back.

Beautiful man, wish I was in the market for a new guitar atm, I was over at kosmic for that sale tonight just scoping the deals. You weren't by any chance playing on the blackstar halfstack up the back of the shop for ages were you lol?

At Pretty. Odd. & biga29: preferences and priorities, keep them in mind. The reasons why different people design different guitars are the same as the reasons why different people may destroy different guitars.

The catalysts of creation are usually exactly the same as the catalysts of destruction.

Yeh ofcourse, I would agree. A country guitarist could use one I guess, could get a better amp for the style but a dual rec would still probs be pleasing to the ears. Point taken though.

Loving the Diablo, got it re-tubed with a mesa/sovtek 12ax7's and EHX EL34's; sounds tighter now and better imo. Wouldn't mind getting a V30 (or similarly voiced speaker) loaded 4x12/2x12 for it in the future though. I've got G12T-75's in the 1936 I'm using and they sound good but it would probs go better with v30's.

I'm a bit confused as to what you're looking for, because you say you play heavy pop punk and the Mesa is too much for that (which I get)... but I'm affraid the AC30 might not be heavy enough?

Hold your flames, I love the AC30, one of the best amps ever tone wise, and at $700 in good shape it's a steal. The breakup is incredibly rich and very pleasing, and the jangly cleans are my fav ever! What I'm asking is for a better definition of your style, because if high gain is your thing, it probably isn't going to work for you. If that's the case, I suggest looking into selling the Mesa and picking up a high gain amp with a british voice (i.e., Splawn Pro Mod or maybe even the Nitro, Orange Rockverb/Thunderverb, Voodoo Dual Hex, Marshall JCM800...). That's not going to solve your back-up amp issue, but I think you'll prefer the tone over the Mesa's if that's your thing. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to find a used classic50 for around $400, but I'm not sure about your market. It might be a better idea, if you know your way around your amps, to just pick up a healthy stock of spare parts and fix it yourself if the need ever should arise.

He doesn't want to replace his Mesa... And besides, Dual Recs can handle just about anything decently.

I'd go with the MXR. The Boss is pretty noisey stock, actually ridiculously noisey with high gain. I use mine to emulate single coils when using humbuckers and as a solo boost from time to time so it doesn't reall matter to me. If you want it to shape your distorted tone more because your amp's EQ section can't quite do what you want (basically what an EQ pedal is for...) then get the MXR 10 band. I don't really need it for shaping the dirty tone of my amp because my amp has an active 3 band, with an additional tone stack and global mid boost control anyway.